SUMMARY
Argentina, once a stable and prosperous nation, underwent a profound transformation in the early 20th century. The labor unrest of 1917, fueled by radical movements, set the stage for a gradual erosion of state efficiency. During this time, the country experienced an increasing militarization, as the military began to assert greater power and autonomy. This shift in power dynamics undermined the strength of the government, destabilizing the political landscape that had previously been characterized by stability and effective governance.
From 1946 to 1955, Argentina was governed by President Juan Domingo Perón, a former General who established a populist regime and introduced the ideology of Peronism, a “third position” doctrine. Therefore, the deteriorating relationship with the Catholic Church contributed to his removal in a military coup in 1955, after which he went into exile. Between 1955 and 1973, Argentina experienced alternating civilian and military governments, including a military junta from 1966 to 1973, during which leftist rebel groups such as the ERP and Montoneros began to mobilize. After the return to democracy in 1973, Peronist Héctor Cámpora briefly assumed the presidency before making way for Perón’s return to power. During Perón’s second presidency, the conflict with ERP and Montoneros escalated, as both groups viewed him as aligned with conservative military factions.
Following the death of Perón in 1974, his third wife Isabel Martínez de Perón succeeded him as President. Isabel Perón was ousted by a military coup on 24 March 1976, and was replaced by a junta led by Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla. The military junta quickly suppressed the ERP and the Montoneros, and used widespread repression against the population commonly referred to as the “Dirty War” (for more on this, see Argentina: Government). Unlike a conventional war, the “Dirty War” consisted of covert and illegal operations targeting anyone suspected of leftist sympathies or opposition to the regime. The Army had become the last stronghold of the state and, for seven years, the military regime carried out state-sponsored systematic disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
The junta suffered a significant loss of credibility following Argentina’s defeat in the conflict against the United Kingdom in 1982, and following economic crisis and pressure from the Argentine political parties, junta President Reynaldo Benito Antonio Bignone announced that civilian rule would be reintroduced via elections in 1983. Since 1983, Argentina has been a presidential republic, and the government has been appointed by democratic elections.
In 2023, Javier Milei was elected as the 54th President of Argentina. Javier Milei's presidency marked a departure from established political practices in Argentina, with a policy agenda centered on economic liberalization, including substantial cuts to public spending and a reduced role for the state. These reforms, alongside his rejection of certain gender and human rights policies and his skepticism toward international climate change frameworks, contributed to increased polarization within Argentine society. His views across these domains sparked significant public debate and positioned him as a highly contested actor in the national political landscape for the first time in decades.
